EcoWorldFashion.com BLOG » Fairtrade

School Holidays and healthy clothes

admin — Sat, 25 Jul 2009 08:25:29 +0000

Hi just wanted to apologize for the delay in getting up our new Paper and Nest category!!!! Spending time with our child over the school holidays has been a priority, but we’re back. We also will make some other changes to our website, so we have decided to wait and do it all together.
Just wanted to summarize some important pointers for healthy clothes, Healthy for you, for those who make them and our planet.
a) Conventional clothes are dipped in formaldehyde, a toxic chemical that makes poor quality cotton look good enough to buy, (of course until we wash it and find the fabric thread-bare and course to touch.) Can cause chemical burns on the skin and is particularly bad in hotter areas of the body.
Japan has strict regulations on the use of formaldehyde, and will not accept for import many of the clothes available in Australia.
b) Man-made fabrics, just that – chemicals that we do not need to absorb through our skin and piling up in our landfills.
b) So when buying new clothes, for the purest, cleanest clothes buy GOTS certified organic or from clothes makers that can verify the eco-status of the factory that make natural fibres like silk and hemp.
c) Make sure the dyes used are low impact, or are plant dyes like natural indigo.
d) Fairly traded clothing means knowing no human has been exploited whilst making the clothes. Every time you buy cheap (or not), think again – I always try to remember the eyes of a child and go to You Tube – search, SWEATSHOP and watch and learn!!!
e) Look after your clothes, protect them when not in use, wash them gently and choose clothes that can be washed rather than drycleaned (more harmful chemicals).
f) Lastly recycle your clothes or secondhand ones (that are not reeking of mothball chemicals) into new designs.
Babette

Paper and Nest

admin — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 10:53:14 +0000

Here at Ecoworldfashion.com we are gearing up to launch our new Eco category, Paper and Nest. We have some really lovely lifestyle items for you in stall, as beautiful as they are eco-freindly.

A few teasers to get you excited!

We will be selling 100% Beeswax handcrafted candles, they are unscented, yet emit a honey aroma without the use of fragrance, yes, no toxic petrochemicals! just a pesticide, drug and chemical free wax and they’re made right here in Western Australia. We hope you like them as much as we do.

Finally, a really talented graphic designer from South Australia has produced a range of earth-friendly greetings cards, Heidi takes her inspiration from Australian flora and fauna and her love of nature spills over into her zealous love of trees and habitat and all her cards are 100% recycled, we love that she remained steadfast to her eco values, while unleashing her amazing creativity. The cards are a stunning collection, so we are sure you will find something that meets your ‘greeting card’ needs-from birthday to blank.

Well sit tight, a few more days to go before the launch, more goodies await you!

Babette

Visiting Garage in Kyoto

admin — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 05:23:25 +0000

I recently traveled to Kyoto in Japan to visit ‘Garage’. You see I have loved the ‘Garage’ label from the first time I saw it I instinctively knew some very talented textile artisans were behind this label, doing what they love and producing their unique and beautiful clothes.

And I knew those clothes would be filling my wardrobe. Well, my recent trip proved I was right, an extremely talented husband and wife team – hardworking and successfully hand dying, designing and sewing their beloved ‘Garage’ clothing to a never-ending Japanese customer.

There clothes are made from medical grade guaze (no bleach or formaldehyde) or pure organic cotton guaze, they are so comfortable, soft and lovely.

‘Garage’s’ cute shop front in Kyoto, Japan.

Posing with the talented team and wearing the Kyoto skirt in Bronze Rose, under my Stewart & Brown Cashmere dress (we have these instore now).

We are really privilaged to be able to stock such an exclusive local label, so I hope you indulge yourself with a ‘Garage’ piece, I promise you it will be well worth it.

Babette

World Fairtrade Day

admin — Tue, 26 May 2009 08:23:35 +0000

Just a reminder that ‘when we know better we do better.

Supporting companies with fairtade and ethical policies does help.

Consider also the health benefits for workers from ‘GOTS’- Global Organic Textile Standard producing factories, they do not have to be exposed to toxic chemicals like azo dyes, pesticides in the cotton and formaldehyde and we ALL benefit from that.

We recently were invited ( thanks to Shona: the ethical entrepreneur) to have a stall at World Fairtrade Day in our city, Perth, Western Australia. Sorry no photo yet.

It was a fantastic day interspersed with some serious discussion! Got to meet an amazingly talented fairtrade ethical eco fashion designer Charlene. We now have in stock her recycled denim crocheted wraps that come with a wonderful story behind them.

Babette